Sap-spout.



G. H. SOULE.

SAP SPOUT.

APPLI CATION FILED NOV. ll. l9l5. 7 1,207,444. Patented Dec. 5,1916.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. SOULE, 0F FAIRFIELD, VERMONT.

Application filed November 11, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE H. SoULE, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Fairfield, in the countyof Franklin and State of Vermont, have invented a new and ImprovedSap-Spout, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

Among the principal objects which the present invention has in view are:to pro vide a spout of the character mentioned with means for completelysealing the sapgathering bore with which the tree is pro vided, tocompel the sap to pass through the channel furnished in said spout; toprovide means for automatically fastening the spout in the bore toprevent the withdrawal therefrom; and to provide a detachable hangerhook and a protective cover therefor.

Drawz'ngs.Figure 1 is a side view of a spout and hook constructed andarranged in accordance with the present invention, the same being shownin conjunction with fragments of a tree, a bucket, and a cover therefor;Fig. 2 is a section taken as on the line 22- in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is adetail view in perspective, of a spout constructed and arranged inaccordance with the present invention; and Fig. 1 is a detail View of ahook constructed and arranged for service in conjunction with saidspout.

Description-.As seen in the drawings, the spout 9 has a tapered plugportion 10, the ofiice whereof is to enter the sap bore 11 for thecollection of sap therefrom. The body of the spout has a central passage12 therethrough. The passage 12 opens outwardly into a top-opening spout13, which, at its extreme end, is furnished with a pouring lip 14. Atthe inner end of the passage 12, the sides of the body are cut away toform a gapping mouth 15, the construction thus provided serving toprevent the clogging of the inner opening to the passage 12.

In its application, the spout is driven into the bore 11 until the plugportion 10 closely fits the outer end of said bore. It is held in itsadjusted position by a barb 16, which barb is embedded in the upper wallof the bore 11, by a rocker 17. The rocker 17 is rounded, as shown bestin Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, to form a bearing surface in thebottom of the bore 11 advanced beyond the spur end of the barb 16.

When the spout is introduced into the bore 11, the back or incline ofthe barb 16 cants or tilts the spout, the rocker 17 co- Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

Serial No. 60,860.

operating therewith. will be found that the back or incline of the barb16 is held approximately parallel with the upper wall of the bore 11.When, however, the plug portion 10 reaches the end of the bore 11 and isdriven thereinto, the spout is righted to a position where the passage12 is approximately co-axial with the bore 11. During this movement ofthe spout, it will be seen that the inner end is caused to rock on therocker 17, with the immediate result that the barb 16is relativelylifted to be embedded in the wood in the upper wall of the bore 11,thereafter holding the spout 9 firmly in its operative relation eventhough the inserted end of the spout be relatively small. It will alsobe observed that when the weight of the bucket 18 is imposed on thespout, by means of a hook 19, the tendency to rock the said spout causesthe same to fulcrum on the plug portion 10, and augments the hold of thebarb 16 in the body of the tree.

The hook 19 above referred to, is held in its operative relation to thespout 9, by a spur 20 formed on the body of the spout in spaced relationto the plug portion 10. The intervening space between the plug portion10 and the spur 20 forms a saddle in which the looped end 21 of the hook19 is seated when operatively disposed.

It will be noted that the hook 19 may be removed from its engagementwith the spout 9 only when the said hook is inverted, so that thetriangular space 22 formed in the end 21 thereof is raised to aline withthe spur 20. The said space 22 is shaped to conform with the shape ofthe spur 20, to pass therethrough. When the space 22, however, isdisposed as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will be seen thatthe looped end 21 may not be drawn forward over the spout 9.

The hook 19 is provided at the upper end thereof with a hinge kunckle 23adapted to receive a hinge pin 24 provided in the construction of acover 25. The cover 25 and the bucket 18 are of conventional shape andare disclosed in this application only to show the service relation ofthe spout 9 and the hook 19 to these elements with which they cooperatein service.

Claim:

As an article of manufacture, a sap spout comprising an open-endedtubular body portion having integrally formed thereon at In thisposition, it-

the driving end thereof, a relatively long barb, the back edge whereoftapers toward said driving end of said body portion; a relatively shortrocking member disposed at the opposite side of said body portion and atthe driving end thereof, the bearing the spur of said barb; and atapered plug portion disposed in spaced relation to said barb andadapted to level said body portion when in service in a sap bore and toelevate said barb to force the spur thereof into the Wall of the sapbore into Which said spout is driven.

GEORGE H. SODLE.

Witnesses:

H. GUFHN, :O, M. BROWN.

,Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1). G.

